Tag: comedy

It’s been bubbling within me for a couple of years now…the need to express a story about – yes, wait for it…flatulence. Undeniable perennial favourites with kids, stories the make you hoot and toot are not only fun to write but as it turns out, more prevalent than I first thought. There is an intoxicating number of farting picture books blowing about now. Here are a couple of fresh offerings too funny to pass up. I’ve included a couple of non-farting titles too for the more musically, less peristaltically motivated.

Fart slipped out one day, unnoticed and unseen, but super keen to absorb everything about his new home. Trouble is, wherever he wafts, he encounters people reacting badly to some very reprehensible odours. Fart floats on, anxious to get as far away as possible from those dreadful smells, blissfully unaware that it might be him causing those noxious stinks. As Fart wafts around the neighbourhood, he is overjoyed by his surroundings and grateful to be alive. Just one thing would make him happier, a friend. All hope of finding a new best friend is shattered though, just like Fart’s heart, when he realises with a shock that the disgusting, horrible, terrible smell is him. Alone and crestfallen, Fart finally chances upon the friend he’s always wanted, someone who appreciates him for exactly what he is.

Holiday time is playtime and what better way to indulge in the joy of life than with a playful picture book or two. I could wax lyrical about all of these titles all year long, so if you love animals behaving badly in picture books that crack you up, check out these recent releases before summer is through.

It’s not mandatory, but pop on the bonus CD of this cheerful tale about a determined musical maestro as you read this picture book, and you’ll soon be jazzing around the lounge room. Catchy verse by Field and the most sublime illustrations by Suwannakit bring Stanley, his sister, Fran and the entire crazy band alive with pulsing alliteration and an underlying message of when at first you don’t succeed, look for an alternative. Fulfilling your potential and finding your true talent are old themes drummed into exuberant new life with Stanley. Little musicians from four upwards will love jiggling to this.

Keep your ears and eyes tuned on reliable rhyming verse as you escort ladybird on another action-packed holiday. Yes, she’s off again, full of glorious glitter (on every page, as promised), this time to the London Zoo. There’s the usual cacophony of interesting sounds to experience until she spies two old foes and overhears their dastardly wicked plan to kidnap a monkey and coerce him into stealing the Queen’s crown. In her quietly indomitable way, ladybird alerts the zoo’s menagerie and cleverly foils the crime. Who says being small and quiet would never amount to anything! This is a longish but lavishly illustrated and executed picture book to share with 3 – 5-year-olds.

Chaotic unfortunate, Rodney has but one overriding desire, to draw. He lives and breathes it, even does it in his sleep. There is only one thing Rodney loves more, Penny Pen, his penultimate writing companion and perhaps the most treasured thing in his universe. So imagine the immense, blood-draining, trauma he endures when Penny goes missing! We’ve all been there; that frantic, irrational, world’s-end place we find ourselves in when we can’t find … a pen, never mind a favourite pen. When Penny disappears, Rodney loses it – big time. Thankfully, as with most cases of gross- oversightednesstitis, Rodney and Penny are eventually reunited, enabling Rodney to carry on with his life’s vocation. Written with Bauer’s usual witty observation and playfully illustrated by Krebs this is a supremely silly and joyful story encapsulating a common creative crisis that pre-schoolers and anyone who ‘loves nothing more than drawing‘ will appreciate.

Most of us are well acquainted with the recalcitrant pug, Pig. He is nothing if not one to ever shy away from the lime light. In fact, he obstinately refuses to give it up in this instalment of pug-mania after he and Trevor are invited on a big photo shoot. Fame and adulation transform the repugnant pug to even greater (or lower) levels of nasty until a talent scout recognises the true star of the show. Thus begins Trevor, the sausage dog’s prima ballerina career. Will Pig allow Trevor his moment to shine? That is the question for future Pig tales and one I bet Pig fans can’t wait to find out.

I adore this picture book team. They collaborate without preamble and with pure comic purpose. This tale exemplifies the sublimely ridiculous situation of a mouse swallowed by a wolf only to discover he is not alone inside the wolf. Duck resides there with all the contentment of one whose life is now without woes and worries, like being eaten by wolves. Duck and Mouse enjoy an indulgent lifestyle within the wolf’s belly until one day a hunter threatens their existence. Together they work to restore calm although, for Wolf, his debt to them subjects him to nightly anguish, thus the howling wolf. Subtle, hilarious and as ever, ingenious, this tale of making the best of your situation and living with others is destined as another Barnett Klassen classic.

Another classic in the making is by the talented Bunting husband and wife team. Superbly sparse and blunt to the point of overwhelming shortness and sweetness, I absolutely adore this tale of one errant koala’s quest to find something more palatable to eat than boring old gum leaves. While it’s true koalas are notoriously hard to please, eating only a specific few species of gum leaves, this rebellious marsupial bunks that idea after a gluttonous episode of ice cream guzzling. And, like all young kids who have had too much of a good thing, soon lives to regret it. Delectable linear drawings and bold contemporary text make this one hard to resist. Highly recommended for pre-schoolers and nature lovers everywhere.

Anh Do does silly with remarkable sincerity. Along with McKenzie’s action-crammed slapstick illustrations, this latest zany title epitomises the crushing need to pee and not being able to. A bonus CD lets you sing-a-long to little bear’s demise when a big green frog lands in his toilet making this a nutty take on the red-back-on-the-toilet-seat situation. Frivolous fun sure to win a seat for three-year-olds and above and people with frog fetishes.

Tweens and teens love dipping into the world of fantasy. The more quirky the premise, the more unbelievable the outcomes, the better. These middle grade novels serve up a mind-bending mixture of almost too-whacky-to-believe storylines showcasing time travel, ghosts and gigantic invisible felines. Strange but delightfully, true.

A forever morphing, triple paced collision of Doctor Who meets Top Gear is one way of describing Pete Helliar’s first foray into writing for kids. His enthusiastic use of wacky, over the top metaphors is a touch extravagant at times but oh, do they provoke some face-wrinkling chuckles.

Francis (aka Frankie) Fish’s race against time back into time has all the hallmarks of a mega time travelling adventure with one difference; he is making the journey in desperation to preserve the existence of the Fish family line of which he may or may not still be a part of (it all depends on the battery!). And he’s doing it with his very grumpy, slightly geriatric, grandfather.

Although cute and compact, this picture book features the large and lovely antics of Benji, a robust Labrador looking pooch whose insatiable appetite for anything and everything becomes a catalyst of encouragement for one fussy eater.

Our Dog Benji is an animated account of a day in the life of Benji as told by his young owner. Henderson’s duotone illustrations rate highly for their detail, style, and humour illustrating Carter’s understanding of dogs well and their avaricious ways. This handy little book subtly supports the notion of eating well and exploring more food options for fussy eaters.

This little picture book is oozing with charm and the exact sort of intimacy that young readers adore; they are privy to the outcome even if the story’s characters are not. Monsieur Chat is a cuter than cute little ginger puss living among the city roof tops of a French city.

Oliver Phommavanh’s new novel for children, The Other Christy has just been published by Penguin Random House.

It has a very appealing storyline and characters, voices some important issues with a light touch, and is told with the author’s trademark big heart and humour.

Thanks for speaking with Boomerang Books, Oliver.

No worries Joy.

Where are you based and how involved are you in the children’s lit world? (you often seem to be on a stage …!)

I’m based in Cabramatta, South-West Sydney. I’ve been fortunate to appear in many writers festivals and school literature festivals across Australia. I’m involved with organisations such as the CBCA Northern Sydney Sub branch and SCBWI as well. I’m also an ambassador for Room To Read, a non-profit organization that brings literacy to developing countries.

How is this related to being a stand-up comedian?

I love making people laugh, so I divide my time doing kids comedy in my books and adults comedy on the stage.

How else do you spend your time?

I’m a lifelong gamer so I try to play video games in my downtime. I also like jogging and hanging out with friends.

Tell us about The Other Christy.

It’s a story of two girls named Christy in a class. It’s a friendship between a quiet girl with loud thoughts and a popular girl who discovers that she’s quite lonely.

Who particularly do you hope reads it?

Anyone who might feel a little strange or weird. I hear them, I want to be a voice for all those kids who feel left out.

Have you come across kids with the same name in a class or somewhere? How did people differentiate them? Was one called ‘the other Oliver’ or something similar?

I was the only Oliver in my primary and high school days, but Oliver’s a popular name now so I got lucky. I’ve taught classes with kids with the same name and we usually went with their last name, like Matthew Brown and Matthew Galway.

Is it more fun to write about the mean kids or the others?

I have fun writing about the other kids, especially the ones who blend in the background. Mainly because they usually have something unusual or strange about them.

I’ve read a memoir recently where the church was the most helpful group in helping new refugees. Someone from the church also helped Christy and her Grandpa find somewhere to live. How true to life or typical is this?

I drew from experiences from my own church, we are one of many churches out in south-west Sydney that have welcomed new arrivals and have helped them settle in the community.

You write a lot about food in this book. What’s your favourite food mentioned/not mentioned?

My favourite dessert is chocolate brownies, which is mentioned in the book. My favourite food is pizza, burgers and hot chips, which have been featured in my other books haha

What happened at the launch of The Other Christy? Was there good food?

It was a delightful afternoon with plenty of loved ones, friends and fans. You bet there was delicious food hehe. There were loads of sweet treats for our cake stall. My wife and extended family made a lot of the treats, so it was all made with love!

How is this book different from your others?

This is the first book with a main character that isn’t a part of me. It’s a story where I’ve had to draw from my own observations as a primary school teacher, teaching shy students like Christy.

Have you received any responses from readers about The Other Christy that particularly resonate with you?

I’ve spoken to many kids who are in a class with another person with the same name. Some become friends, others are more like friendly rivals. I’ve also had kids come up to me and can relate to Christy and her desire to find a best friend.